Crab Hill

Our team assisted Hayfield Homes in their successful bid and were subsequently instructed to submit a Reserved Matters application for a residential-led development at South East A, Crab Hill, Wantage and Grove.

Led by St. Modwen, Crab Hill will be a high quality, sustainable, and sought-after mixed-use development. It will provide new services and facilities, including a primary school, a neighbourhood centre and extensive areas of formal and informal open space that will benefit both those living at Crab Hill and the wider community.

The design rationale behind the character of the site was to create a strong, unified appearance using a limited palette of materials. Variations in landscape treatment, street types, boundary enclosures and selective use of material changes, helps add visual interest and assists with the scheme’s legibility. While the application site is covered by two character areas, the majority of the site falls within a single character area. Apartments to the western boundary have been designed to reflect a more contemporary approach for the southern character area. We were able to design sufficient overlap in materials to ensure the two character areas did not clash unharmoniously.

Approval was granted for 82 dwellings, comprising of 1 & 2 bedroom apartments and 2, 3, 4 & 5 bed houses, associated highways and landscape, all to apply with the parameters and design guidance established as part of the Outline Planning Permission. The scheme was praised for its landscape and highway detailing adding quality and interest to the public realm.